Saturday, May 22, 2021

1 Samuel 17 SERIES: 26-30

 Commentary of Charles Spurgeon, Adam Clarke & Matthew Henry
 
And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised
Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
 
And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him
And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle
And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause
And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
Vs.26-30
 
Two considerations, it seems, fired David with a holy indignation:-- (1.) That the challenger was one that was uncircumcised, a stranger
to God and out of covenant with him. 
(2.) That the challenged were the armies of the living God, devoted to him, employed by him and for him, so that the affronts offered to them reflected upon the living God himself, and that he could not bear.
 
How he was brow-beaten and discouraged by his eldest brother Eliab, who, taking notice of his forwardness, fell into a passion upon it, and gave David very abusive language.
Consider this, 
(1.) As the fruit of Eliab's jealousy. He was the eldest brother, and David the youngest, and perhaps it had been customary with him to trample upon him and take every occasion to chide him. Eliab intended, in what he said, not only to grieve and discourage David himself, and quench that noble fire which he perceived glowing in his breast, but to represent him to those about him as an idle proud lad, not fit to be taken notice of.
(2.) As a trial of David's meekness, patience and constancy. A short trial it was, and he approved himself well in it; for, 
   [1.] He bore the provocation with admirable temper: "What have I now done? What fault have I committed, for which I should thus be chidden?  He had right and reason on his side, and knew it, and therefore did not render railing for railing, but with a soft answer turned away his brother's wrath. This conquest of his own passion was in some respects more honorable than his conquest of Goliath.       
   [2.] He broke through the discouragement with admirable resolution. He would not be driven off from his thoughts of engaging the Philistine by the ill-will of his brother. Those that undertake great and public services must not think it strange if they be discountenanced and opposed by those from whom they had reason to expect support and assistance; but must humbly go on with their work, in the face not only of their enemies' threats, but of their friends' slights and suspicions.
 
Learn from David, too, to return quiet answers to those who would roughly put you aside from your work. 
Generally it is better to return no answer at all.
David spake not so well by word as by deed. 
His conduct was more eloquent than his language.